1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a rear body structure of an automotive vehicle, and particularly to a seat belt device mounted on a rear side body structure of an open-top vehicle.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In mounting a seat belt device on the body of an open-top vehicle, it is known to mount a through-ring, through which a seat belt is extended to fasten a passenger and a seat belt retractor of the seat belt device, on a center pillar as shown in Japanese Utility Model Public Disclosure No. 62-62526, laid open to the public on Apr. 18, 1987.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,516,803, 4,529,243, and 4,537,440 disclose reinforcements for rear body structures of open-top vehicles provided with convertible roof devices.
It will be noticed from the structure of the open-top vehicle that the center pillar is substantially aligned in height with a belt line of the vehicle body. It follows that the mounting level of the through-ring is low in comparison with that of a vehicle having a fixed roof. This is because the center pillar extends up to the roof panel and is connected thereto in a vehicle having a roof fixed to the vehicle body.
With the structure of the seat belt device in the open-top vehicle, the seat belt is pulled out from a side position of a passenger and into closed cross-sectional contact with the passenger's shoulder. This structure of the seat belt is, however, disadvantageous in that the seat belt, which is extended over the passenger, tends to slip off from his shoulder because the level of the through-ring mounted on the center pillar is too low, also the through-ring is too close to the passenger, i.e., too far forward on a seat and proper fitting to the passenger's body is impaired.